Lammping's nutty idea of recording a hip hop album with Bloodshot Bill rockin' the mic works way better than you might expect. Check the clips.
Here's the scoop...
Lammping is a Toronto-based psych project led by composer/producer Mikhail Galkin and drummer Jay Anderson. Galkin has a diverse background, having produced for hip-hop legends like J-Live, Boldy James, and People Under The Stairs, as well as releasing a critically acclaimed solo album as DJ Alibi and working as a film/tv composer. Anderson is a seasoned figure in the Toronto indie scene, playing in bands such as Badge Epoque Ensemble, Biblical, ROY and many others. The two first connected after seeing each other perform in different projects and bonding over their shared love for '90s New York hip-hop, skate videos, DIY culture, Beach Boy harmonies and everything in between. The project was born from their desire to create music without limitations - driven by a spirit of exploration, embracing all kinds of genres, sounds, and influences under the Lammping umbrella. The result is a uniquely eclectic project where anything goes, as long as it feels true to their creative instincts. The live version of the band is a 5-piece, with Toronto musicians Colm Hinds, Scott Hannigan and Matt Aldred lending their talents on vocals, guitar and bass.
Lammping, the genre-defying psych-rock project from Toronto, is set to release four unique albums over the next year, each showcasing the eclectic range of influences and talents of its founders, Mikhail Galkin and Jay Anderson. A collaboration with Montreal's Bloodshot Bill kicks off the series with a psychedelic, sample-driven freak-out that’s as unpredictable as it is fun, blending Lammping’s DIY spirit with Bloodshot Bill’s singular style.
Get a copy of Lammping's surprisingly dope "Never Never" collaboration with Bloodshot Bill via Bandcamp right here. Check out the video for title track followed by the catchy "Won't Back Down" along with "One and Own" below.
Ian Blurton, Jay Anderson and their UWUW pals will be performing as part of We Are Busy Bodies 20 Fest tonight. Photo: T. Costa
Here's the scoop from WABB's Eric Warner...
Tonight will mark the debut of studio project turned 11-piece live band UWUW featuring luminaries from Toronto’s vibrant music community. Led by Jay Anderson and Ian Blurton, the band includes Chris Cummings, Nick Sewell, Andrew Scott, Drew Smith, and others. I’ve known and/or seen each of the aforementioned play in bands for over two decades in some instances, longer than We Are Busy Bodies has been around. This show is not to be missed.... maybe even a T2 cover! Find out more about UWUW's self-titled debut album from 2022 right here.
Lo-fi soul singer Aladean Kheroufi opens the show tonight. We Are Busy Bodies issued his debut full-length in mid-2024, which is nearly sold out.
Doors at 8pm. Tickets are $26.77 and available online right here and at the door. Listen to "Scattered Ashes" by UWUW followed by Aladean Kheroufi's video for "Now & Forever" below.
Ayal Senior's "Ora" – out Wednesday via Medusa Editions – came out of a collaboration with Kurt Newman & Andrew Furlong.
Here's the scoop...
The songs that became Ora were written as a companion & follow up to the 'Az Yashir' songbook.
These songs were a joy to write & record among long-time & trusted friends & collaborators. They seemed to appear at ease as themselves, falling from a dream, transmitted from some place with dancing blue forms. The core live unit of Kurt Newman (gtr/pedal-steel) and Andrew Furlong (bass) are warmly augmented here by Blake Howard on drums & Jay Anderson on additional percussion.
We hope you dig it as much as we enjoyed making it. Thank you for listening!
Get a copy of Ayal Senior's "Ora" LP via Bandcamp right here. Check out performances of "Freddy's Children" and "Upside Dawn" following the tracklisting and credits below.
Ayal Senior – Ora
Naomi
Upside Dawn
Shekel of Tyre
Freddy's Children
Book of Ancient Insults
Stairway of Farewells
Burnt Lokshen
Ta Chazi
Ta Shma
Ad Olam
Credits:
Kurt Newman - Pedal Steel & Electric Guitar
Blake Howard - Drums, Percussion
Jay Anderson - Percussion
Andrew Furlong - Bass
Ayal Senior - 12 string
Produced & Mixed by Sandro Perri at Palace Sound June 11, 12, 2023
Mastered by Harris Newman
All Songs written by Ayal Senior
Front Artwork: Florence Miller Pierce, 'Blue Forms' (1942, oil on canvas)
Craig Dunsmuir (top left) brought together T.O.'s finest improv players for the Dun-Dun Band's Pita Parka, Pt.1: Xam Egdub.
Here's the scoop...
Craig Dunsmuir's Dun-Dun Band
For anyone at all acquainted with underground music in Toronto, Craig Dunsmuir is as ubiquitous as he is revered. Many locals know him for his profound knowledge and curiosity as a listener, traits he's deployed as a DJ and while working at some of the city's most beloved record stores. His famously encyclopedic vantage point, though, has also served as fuel for the vast musical output he has created over the past 20+ years.
Even as far back as 2001, VICE cited Dunsmuir as "Toronto’s unsung guitar god," touting the fact that "his low-key guitar looping pedal performances [as Guitarkestra] have made people actually cry." Since that time, Dunsmuir has adopted an increasingly varied compositional approach, one that has yielded everything from asymmetrical beat-work to churning cacophony, strobing polyrhythms to ambient euphoria.
Glissandro 70, his duo with Sandro Perri, served up quirk-infested disco on their lone self-titled 2006 album for Constellation Records, prompting All Music Guide to hail it as "one of the more auspicious debuts to come down the pike in a long while." Following a slew of homespun, xerox-sleeved CD-R releases, the Montréal imprint released another LP for Dunsmuir, Kanada 70's Vamp Ire, which compiled highlights from his various handcrafted outings.
When his Dun-Dun Band emerged in early 2016, it marked a significant progression in Dunsmuir's explorations. Despite his ardent and visible support for the local scene, Dunsmuir had (apart from his collaborations with Perri, the last of which were released on that year's Off World 2) largely led a more or less hermetic creative existence; Dun-Dun Band signalled an opening-up of his musical world, seeing him surround himself with an eclectic and carefully curated cast of performers—some of Toronto's finest.
Stylistically, the group also expands Dunsmuir's already generous sonic range, embracing elements of jazz, American minimalism, and the mellower end of instrumental prog- and post-rock, as well as traits that recall various African traditions. Dunsmuir's writing for the band orbits odd-meter grooves, featuring spur-of-the-moment arrangements that he cues and conducts. Inasmuch as these spontaneous events highlight the individual improvisational personalities of his collaborators, they also stimulate conversation between band members, permitting a wide range of musical influences and vocabularies to nourish the music.
Pita Parka, Pt.1: Xam Egdub
Many listeners will find familiar faces among Dunsmuir's tangled web of fellow travellers. For starters, the band shares four members with Brodie West's Eucalyptus, including West himself (on alto saxophone and clarinet), Mike Smith (performing here on keyboards), guitarist Kurt Newman, and percussionist Blake Howard. Jay Anderson of Badge Époque Ensemble, Lammping and Marker Starling infamy also contributes to the band's percussive dimension, trading his customary acoustic arsenal for a Roland Handsonic, an electronic implement which Dunsmuir has employed frequently throughout his solo catalogue. Bassist Josh Cole, a member of Sandro Perri's core ensemble and of Brodie West's Quintet, as well as leader of Kind Mind (featuring one Karen Ng), fills out the rhythm section, bringing both taut precision and nimble movement to the ensemble's low register.
As Jesse Locke noted for Bandcamp Daily, "no list of forward-thinking Toronto jazz artists would be complete without Karen Ng," and given Dun-Dun Band's all-star lineup, that statement is equally applicable in this context. Alto saxophonist and clarinetist Ng (who has been heard alongside everyone from The Weather Station and Andy Shauf to Badge Époque) is one of the band's four reed players.
In addition to the aforementioned West, Ng is joined by bass clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Ted Crosby (leader of Nomad and Revival Ensemble, member of Isla Craig's band, formerly of Sick Boss). Dun-Dun's horn section also includes multi-instrumentalist Colin Fisher (heard here on tenor), "a distinctly gifted musician" according to PopMatters. On top of having released acclaimed records for Astral Spirits, Halocline Trance and Tombed Visions, Fisher collaborates with Caribou and plays as one half of Not The Wind, Not The Flag.
Dun-Dun Band's unique interplay has been cultivated through numerous live appearances in Toronto. In addition to informal sets at such cherished local spots as the TRANZAC, the Monarch Tavern, and Wenona Craft Beer Lodge, they've been programmed by the Music Gallery for its X-Avant Festival, by Toronto's TONE and Intersection festivals, and by Hamilton, Ontario's Something Else! Festival (where they were briefly but enthusiastically joined by William Parker on double reeds). A pared-down trio incarnation of the group also recently opened for NYC trombonist improviser/composer (and Arthur Russell co-conspirator) Peter Zummo, for a night curated by Pita Parka mixer and co-producer Sandro Perri.
Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub (out today) is Dun-Dun Band's first vinyl release, comprising three extended pieces, each tracing a rambling path connecting multiple ostinato-driven sections. Tracked at Toronto's Canterbury Music, the record refines the approach found on their debut cassette Riff Ref (2023, Dark Matter Tapes). This LP is the seventh entry in Ansible Editions' discography, following albums by Rob Mazurek; High Alpine Hut Network; Playdate; the Brodie West Quintet; Adams, Dunn & Haas; and Nicole Rampersaud's East Coast Music Awards-nominated Saudade.
Get a copy of Dun-Dun Band's Pita Parka, Pt. 1:Xam Egdub via Bandcamp right here. Check out a recent Dun-Dun Band performance at the Tranzac Club in five parts shot by Ayal Senior below.
Credits:
Jay Anderson: Roland Handsonic.
Josh Cole: electric bass.
Ted Crosby: bass clarinet, tenor saxophone.
Craig Dunsmuir: single-line electric guitar, P___r P____r.
Colin Fisher: tenor saxophone, “Hahahacksaw” Jim Duggan.
Blake Howard: conga, other repercussion which continues to be quite serious.
Kurt Newman: chordal and lead electric guitar.
Karen Ng: alto saxophone, clarinet.
Mike Smith: Rhodes 88, Hammond A105, continued keyboard transcombobulations.
Brodie West: alto saxophone, clarinet.
Produced by Sandro Perri and Josh Cole with Craig Dunsmuir; Engineered by Julian Decorte at Canterbury Music in Toronto from October 30th to November 1st, 2022. Additional engineering of Colin Fisher’s parts by Josh Cole in the TRANZAC Southern Cross Lounge on December 27th, 2022; Mixed by Sandro Perri; Mastered by Jeff “Fedge” Elliott; Photography by Nick Storring.
Jay Anderson & Ian Blurton's horn-enhanced UWUW debut is out Oct. 21. Check out the lead off track "Scattered Ashes" below.
Here's the scoop...
UWUW (pronounced you-you) have just announced the release of their debut, self-titled LP with their lead single Scattered Ashes. With some of Toronto’s most experienced and revered musicians making this project possible, it’s no wonder why the sonic presence of this project demands your attention and doesn’t let you go. The impressive cast of players includes Jason Haberman of Dan Mangan and Yeahsun, Jay Anderson of Badge Époque Ensemble, Biblical and Lammping, and Ian Blurton of Ian Blurton’s Future Now, Change of Heart, and C’mon. Giving the songs a voice are two of Toronto’s most distinctive songwriters: Chris A. Cummings aka Marker Starling, adding his distinct, easy-glide, story-telling charm to Box Office Poison, and Scattered Ashes, and Drew Smith (Bunny, The Bicycles), providing his trademark, 60s harmony pop and lyrical prowess to Staircase and Landlord. UWUW's self-titled debut album – with enjoyably oblique sleeve art courtesy of Nick Sewell! – is slated for release by We Are Busy Bodies on October 21st. Pre-order it via Bandcamp right here. Fans of Euroboys, T2, and Manfred Mann Chapter Three will be enamoured with these exceptionally crafted and exciting compositions.
The lead single 'Scattered Ashes' (listen below) breathes soul and rock, while blurring sounds and influences which call to mind James Brown’s horn section and the compositional layers of experimental Beach Boys recordings. In response to the meaning behind his lyrics, singer Marker Starling says, “I attempted to shoehorn every stray apocalyptic thought I had circa Summer of 2021 into the song, including readings from the screenplay of Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville (1965). The world is ending, or perhaps, as Sun Ra believed, we're already past the end of the world. You might end up dying for a cause, or even "just because." Who knows what tomorrow may bring, and like The Zombies, being forever Hung Up on a Dream—in this case, a lost vision of a kind of hippie or punk utopia—is the only way to live your life, the only way to maintain a healing state of mind”.
UWUW came into being when Jay Anderson and Ian Blurton came together through a run of shows, backing mutual friend and singer/songwriter, Kate Boothman as her drummer, and guitarist, respectively. Anderson suggested bringing in Jason Haberman, a talented bassist, who Anderson had seen play with Toronto indie-folk band, The Wooden Sky. Realizing they didn’t want an instrumental record, they layered on bright horns and smooth vocals, lifting the songs from instrumental jams, to the undefinable yet distinctive sound that is, UWUW. Saxophonist, Jay Hey, was brought in to provide horn arrangements, along with Tom Richardson on trombone and Patrick McGroarty on trumpet, all three contributing on every song. The result is a blissfully cool album with music that will appeal to all listeners, from record store snobs, garage rock slobs, and even psych-pop heartthrobs!
UWUW - S/T
1. Scattered Ashes
2. Staircase To The End Of The Night
3. Landlord
4. Box Office Poison
Credits
Jason Haberman - bass, keyboards
Jay Anderson - drums, percussion
Ian Blurton - guitar, keyboards, vocals, engineering, mixing
Chris Cummings - vocals on 'Scattered Ashes' and 'Box Office Poison'
Drew Smith - vocals on 'Staircase To The End Of The Night' and 'Landlord'
Check out "Zodiac" off the forthcoming Badge Époque Ensemble's Clouds of Joy album out September 9th.
Here's the scoop...
The Badge Époque Ensemble return to Telephone Explosion Records for the label's 100th release with a new album, Clouds of Joy which is set for release on September 9 – they're today sharing the news alongside the first single, "Zodiac" which features vocals from James Baley. Featuring three vocal-led compositions, three instrumentals and three choral arrangements, this new album presents the Ensemble’s most ambitious, mature and engaging material to date. Clouds of Joy represents a shift from the group’s previous sonic excursions – the worlds of vintage soundtrack grooves and early electric jazz which found critical acclaim at Pitchfork, The Wire, Uncut, Paste, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, etc – into a more era-ambiguous, complex and all-encompassing approach to arrangement and production.
Familiar Badge Époque Ensemble motifs are present through this album’s nine tracks: extended sections of dusty drum & conga breaks, swirling saxophone and flute flourishes, fleet-fingered guitar excursions, hazy Rhodes chords and lashing clavinet stabs, but where Clouds of Joy excels is in its ability to weave tremendous vocal performances and choral arrangements into its dense tapestry of sound. This first single, "Zodiac" which features James Baley’s ecstatic, Stevie Wonder-esque lead vocal performance could light up the midnight sky, turning a nearly eight-minute jazz-funk instrumental odyssey into a sure-shot dancefloor hit. Watch the video below.
Undergoing a major shift of consciousness upon learning that he was expecting twins, BÉE leader Maximilian ‘Twig’ Turnbull found the spark to initiate the album within his reflections upon the nature of human joy. This shift in mindset also helped shape the record from an operational standpoint: Turnbull stepped away from his fixture on keys, leaving all of the musical performance on this record to his cast of collaborators. With Max assuming a more “directorial” approach to production and arrangement à la Barry White, David Axelrod, or Fagen & Becker, this album finds the Badge Époque Ensemble in its most collaborative mode to date. Vocalists Dorothea Paas, James Baley and guitarist Chris Bezant all have co-writing credits here with Bezant contributing significantly to three compositions, including the album’s title track. The album was mixed collaboratively as well, as another joint effort between Turnbull, Steve Chahley and Tony Price, a trio who have teamed up behind the mixing desk for all previous BÉE albums, as well as U.S. Girls’ Heavy Light LP and records from other members of Toronto's bubbling scene including the likes of Jane Inc, Young Guv (Chahley and Tony Price) and many more.
For the most part, the Ensemble on this record is made up of names familiar to anyone following the Badge cosmology: drummer Jay Anderson, bassist Gio Rosati, flautist Alia O’Brien, saxophonist Karen Ng, percussionist Ed Squires and guitarist Chris Bezant, with the new addition of young jazz pianist Edwin de Goeij, a perfect surrogate for Turnbull’s ideas on keys. (This in-demand collection of musicians represents a scattering of key cogs from a clutch of other premium Canadian exports; The Weather Station, Andy Shauf, U.S. Girls & Marker Starling). Clouds’ emphasis on the sound of the human voice finds its perfect outlet in vocal arrangements by labelmate Dorothea Paas and a return from lead vocalist James Baley. Their contributions are complimented by a choir composed of session vocalists, (including singers from Bernice and Bonjay) who come together to provide a series of show-stopping harmonic acrobatics.
Clouds of Joy marks the group’s third proper full length of five total releases for the Telephone Explosion imprint in only four years. It represents the Ensemble’s most fully realized presentation of a founding vision to create music as human, organic and alive as it is synthesized, produced and designed; music that transcends the notion of linear time, pulling in influences and ideas from the past and taking them far into the future.
You can pre-order the Clouds of Joy album via Bandcamp right here. Check out the video for "Zodiac" followed by the track listing below.
Lammping's Jay Anderson & Mikhail Galkin chat about their Stars We Lost EP with Colton Gee on the Desert Tiger Podcast below.
Here's the scoop...
Lammping is a psychedelic rock band based out of Toronto, founded by singer/songwriter Mikhail Galkin and drummer Jay Anderson. Meeting at a concert where Jay's and Mikhail's previous bands were sharing the bill, they quickly connected over their musical tastes, drawing on their love of everything from mid-90's boom-bap to Tropicalia and library music.
The band was started as an attempt to bring the various musical influences and ideas together under a psych-rock umbrella, expanding the possibilities of heavy music. The band's demo led to a vinyl release of the debut LP on Nasoni Records in 2020 and their sophomore album "Flashjacks" in 2021 on Echodelic Records, both albums drawing critical praise.
The foundation of Lammping's sound is rooted in Jay Anderson's heavy drumming and Mikhail Galkin's melodic riffs, but with the addition of samples, drum machines, and a variety of instrumentation, the band's sonic palate is just as indebted to Stereolab, De La Soul and Kraftwerk as it is to Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer and Sleep.
Lammping's new EP, Stars We Lost is out now on vinyl and digitally from We Are Busy Bodies which you can get via Bandcamp right here. Watch Jay and Mikhail's podcast interview following the audio clip for "Golem of Garbage Hill" below.
